A 19-year-old influencer is now facing legal consequences following a daring stunt intended for TikTok that involved entering an elephant enclosure. The incident took place at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium and has since drawn significant attention.
Noah Thomas, the Ohio native behind the video, posted the footage on September 21. The clip shows him cautiously approaching the elephant, only to retreat quickly as the situation escalated.
In his post, Thomas jumped over a fence at an indoor enclosure and approached an elephant who was behind a cage.
In a bold move, Thomas made a second attempt to approach the massive animal. This time, the elephant reacted by trying to reach out for him with its trunk, prompting Thomas to leap back over the barrier to safety.
The episode unfolded before a crowd of onlookers, who reacted with both shock and laughter. Concerned bystanders wasted no time in reporting the incident to zoo authorities, as highlighted by a report from WKBN.
Thomas quickly jumped back over the barricade as onlookers stared and laughed.
Several people reported the alleged incident to zoo staff, according to WKBN.
In a since-deleted Instagram post, Thomas joked about being a ‘professional gate jumper’ and said he was ‘almost elephant food,’ per The Independent.
Pittsburgh Police said Thomas and a friend entered the zoo without paying through a temporary exit added to accommodate construction.
Police are pressing charges after an influencer posted a video allegedly jumping into an elephant enclosure
Onlookers at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium notified employees about the alleged incident
Police found the duo in the aquarium after they fled the elephant barn. They refused to identify themselves and were escorted out, according to WTAE.
Officials tracked Thomas down by identifying his friend’s license plate and matching zoo security footage to Thomas’s social media posts.
‘Thomas’s actions caused extreme risk of injury or death to not only himself but also the zoo staff, other zoo patrons, and the elephant,’ read the criminal complaint obtained by WTAE.
‘If the elephant managed to grab Thomas with its trunk and pull him further into the enclosure, Thomas likely could have been killed.’
The influencer now faces multiple charges including felony counts for causing or risking catastrophe, criminal trespass, and conspiracy.
He was not in police custody as of Saturday, October 18, according to People.
Thomas faces other charges for reckless endangerment, cruelty to animals, and theft of services, according to online police records.
The case is being handled by the Pittsburg Police Department and the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office.
‘I want to find out all of the circumstances why this happened,’ said District Attorney Stephen Zappala.
‘Is it a prank or is there something else going on?’
The 19-year-old influencer is facing multiple felony charges
The criminal complaint states that Thomas’s prank could have killed him
Elephants can become aggressive when they feel threatened, according to the Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve. While they are mostly peaceful creatures, captive elephants are more dangerous to humans than wild elephants.
It is important to keep a safe distance and never try to touch them.
The seconds-long video only received 37 likes and less than 3,000 views.
Thomas, who calls himself an influencer, has less than 5,000 followers combined across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
His other content includes interviews, dances, pranks, and challenges.
The Daily Mail reached out to the Pittsburg Zoo & Aquarium, Noah Thomas, the District Attorney’s Office, and the Pittsburgh Police.
